Record-triggered flows
The record-triggered flow is the workhorse of Salesforce automation. It runs automatically whenever a record is created, updated, or deleted, letting you enforce logic without any user action. Configuring one starts with three choices: the object, the trigger (created, updated, created or updated, or deleted), and entry conditions that decide which records the flow acts on.
The most important design decision is when the flow runs relative to the save. A before-save flow executes as the record is being written and is extremely fast; use it to set or correct fields on the same record — no extra DML is needed, so it is the most efficient option. An after-save flow runs once the record is committed and can do more: create or update related records, send notifications, or call sub-flows. The rule of thumb is: same-record field updates go in before-save, everything else in after-save.
Consider a concrete example: when an Opportunity is set to Closed Won, create a follow-up Task for the owner to schedule onboarding. That is an after-save flow with an entry condition of Stage = Closed Won and a Create Records element building a Task assigned to the OwnerId.
Trigger: A record is updated
Object: Opportunity
Entry: StageName Equals "Closed Won"
Timing: After save
Action: Create Records -> Task
Subject = "Schedule onboarding"
WhatId = {!$Record.Id}
OwnerId = {!$Record.OwnerId}
ActivityDate = TODAY() + 3A few best practices carry a long way. Keep one record-triggered flow per object per timing where you can, using decisions to branch inside it — this keeps execution order predictable. Always use entry conditions rather than a Decision at the top, so the flow does not even start for irrelevant records. And test in your Developer org before anything real. Master this element and you can automate the majority of business processes with no code. Next we look at approval processes for structured sign-off.
